NORTH COUNTY — The races are officially on.
The official filing period for candidates to formally cement their candidacies for elected office opened on Monday. The nomination period runs through Aug. 7, or Aug. 12 if no incumbent is running in that specific race.
The general election is Nov. 3 and will also include the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, school boards, water districts and many other offices. So far, dozens of candidates have announced their candidacies, although some may choose not to file nomination papers and withdraw of their respective races.
In related election news, the Vista City Council addressed the procedure for a tie vote during its June 23 meeting. The council took no action, which by default leaves the resolution of any tie vote to be determined “by lot,” according to state law.
Antonia Hutzell of the San Diego County Registrar of Voters said the “by lot” for elections in San Diego County is a coin flip.
Below is a summary of those currently known candidates, although more may appear on the ballot once the nomination period closes.
In Carlsbad, incumbent Keith Blackburn is running for re-election and will be challenged by Eric Nixon and Skar (full legal name). Blackburn has been on the City Council since 2008 and is seeking his second term as mayor.
The other races include District 1 between incumbent Melanie Burkholder and challenger Nate Larson. Jennifer Kerwin had announced her candidacy several months ago, but withdrew before the official filing period opened on Monday.
In D3, incumbent Priya Bhat-Patel is currently running unopposed, while Sherry Freisinger and Christian Peacox are running for re-election as the city clerk and treasurer, respectively.
Del Mar is the only North County city without district elections for the city council, and runs an at-large system. This year, two seats are open as incumbent Terry Gaasterland is running for re-election, along with Meghan Spieker and Jeff Sturgis.
Former Councilman Dwight Worden retired in 2024, but the council deadlocked on whether to appoint a new council member or hold a special election. Gaasterland and Dan Quirk voted in support of a special election, while Tracy Martinez and Dave Druker were opposed due to the $250,000 price tag of the election.
Encinitas has long been a political hotbed, and this year is no different. The city voted in three new office holders in 2024, including Mayor Bruce Ehlers, who is running against San Dieguito Union High School District Trustee Rimga Viskanta this year.
In D3, incumbent Joy Lyndes will not seek re-election, so newcomers Arielle Golden and Ed Sprague are running for the open seat. In D4, Brad Lefkowitz is the only known candidate so far, although it’s unclear if Marco San Antonio, who was appointed instead Lefkowitz in 2025, will run this year.
In Escondido, incumbent Mayor Dane White will be challenged by Elias Velazquez, while Consuelo Martinez will not run for re-election in D1. Instead, Tanner Horsley and Vanessa Valenzuela have emerged, although more candidates may come forward.
The D2 race, so far, has a trio of candidates with incumbent Joe Garcia and challengers Anthony DiMartino and Travis Musser.
In Oceanside, incumbent Eric Joyce is being challenged by Michael Cline in D1, while incumbent Rick Robinson will face a trio of opponents, including Emily Gonzalez, Ricky James and Oscarin Ortega.
Two races are shaping up in San Marcos with City Councilman Mike Sannella and former City Councilwoman Sharon Jenkins squaring off to replace Mayor Rebecca Jones, who won her District 5 primary in June for a seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
In D2, Justin Matsushita and Lindsey Smith will battle it out to fill the seat vacated by Sannella, who is running for mayor. (Note: Councilman Ed Musgrove will retain his seat on the City Council after coming in third in his state Senate race.)
Solana Beach has just one known candidate with D2 incumbent Kristi Becker running for re-election. In D4, no candidates have filed yet, as Councilwoman Jill MacDonald said she will not seek re-election.
In Vista, several candidates are running for mayor, including former City Councilman Joe Green and Kenneth Zuniga, although Joseph Brown and Gabriel Chance both submitted candidate intention statements before the nomination period opened. Mayor John Franklin previously said he would not seek re-election and instead ran for the District 5 seat on the Board of Supervisors, where he finished third in the June primary.
In D1, Frank Nuñez and Yolanda Kenniston Alvarez have announced their candidacies, although the seat is held by Corinna Contreras. Contreras ran for the 48th Congressional seat, but did not advance through the primary, and therefore is still eligible to run for re-election in her city council district. In D4, Dan O’Donnell is unopposed.
